


At Least We Stole The Show

by JoinTheWeb



Series: I Hope You've Had The Time Of Your Life [1]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, F/F, F/M, I live, M/M, first part of a series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-06
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2018-09-15 08:27:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9226679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoinTheWeb/pseuds/JoinTheWeb
Summary: Highschool Is Shit. With capital.or: a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Human altrante univers.





	1. In The Spotlights

**Author's Note:**

> something I started way too early. it works like this:  
> -four first chapters are kind of prequels. not much plot, if you want to, ya guys, can skip ahead.  
> -there will be "a stupid writer in need of help" chapters, which I hope you won't ignore.  
> -timelines, plot lines, character design and dynamics and pretty much everything is ready for my lazy ass to start writing, BUT all of it is out of the window if one of you write me a comment with an idea that is awesome. if you write me this is boring, and give me something so I can improve, I will start anew too.  
> -side stories may or may not be published as time go by, but this story is the first in a series (probably. maybe).  
> -I love my amazing Beta Reader, and they're doing a FANTASTIC WORK, but if we missed something, please let me know. I mean grammarly missed something. not plot-wise.  
> -chapters not timed, but comments give me power. if you want the next chapter sooner, write me something (please).  
> -fisr two chapters will probably get edited. 
> 
> that's it, i do hope you enjoy (please leave a comment).

He was invisible.

His brother was smart- between the A+, teachers praises, the academy reward as 'the most intelligent teenage in the last decade', and the skyrocket IQ of his, everyone knew Donatello's name. If it was as a class fellow that pleaded for homework, or a girl that had a thing for genius people, Donnie was known. Not popular among their own age, but known. 

His other brother was strong- with sport and wrestling since youth as his main interest, his brother pulled attention to himself. With abs and biceps that he didn't even had to flex so they'll show and a bad-boy attitude that girls seemed to die for, Raphael was popular among the girls, but not so much among the boys of their age. He was known as a challenge, and must didn't put themselves in the trouble of dealing with his short temper. Still, his membership in the baseball team as quarterback gave him plenty of friends, and a fan club made out of cheerleaders, not to mention a lot of signs carrying his name in bold red letters.

His baby brother was cute- there wasn't much to say about that. He was the must goofiest goof ball in the whole content, maybe the whole world. With blond hair, perfect white teeth, and knowledge of how attractive he was, Michelangelo started his 'love life' when he was in third grade, and dated a girl named April O'nile. They broke up about week and a half, when they both understood they have no idea what boyfriend and girlfriend supposed to do, but all four of them earned April as friend. Most of school knew Mikey, if as friends, foes, or teachers that tried to hide their laughter every time he opened his mouth. 

...and then there was Leonardo. He was invisible. His brothers draw most of the attention of... Well, everybody, to themselves, and left him with not that much for himself.

Not that he really cared. He doesn't like attention anyway. Don't get him wrong, he wasn't shy. Not at all, but he just hated attention, when it was directed towards him. He had friends- Usagi always had a connection with him, Karai and him were in good terms, April was close friend, he hanged out with Casey from a time to time- although he was more Raph's friend then Leo's- and he was close enough to Angle to be considered her friend. That was pretty much all he needed. 

People just didn't interest him enough. Sure, at the first hour with them he was fascinated like Donnie with a sample of animal's DNA and an open and free lab, but then... They got boring. The same thing, but different words and names. Someone had to have a very extreme personally- enough to be able to change Leo's opinion about something- or a very mild one- enough to change his opinions quickly- to keep Leo's interest for more than an hour and a half. 

His lack of need in friendships was- according to Usagi- a combination of his lack of ability to have someone's attention on himself behind his 'pretty face', because of his brother's uniqueness, his ability to see patterns more easily than other people, and his silent nature, that rejected attention in the first place. Leo doesn't know if he is right. Frankly, he really doesn't care that much. 

When he got lost on his way for his martial arts class (the only hobby he seemed to hold more than a year) and was missing for more than eight hours without anyone noticing, he decided that if he was going to be ignored and dismissed, it will be in his condition. It will be his choice. And so, he learned to be invisible. The rules were simple; wear dim clothes, don't do sharps movements, answer when you have to, give short answers when you do, and hide behind Raph's, Mikey's, and Donnie's shadow. It didn't matter to anyone that if he loses his slightly slouched stand he was in Raph's height, it didn't matter to anyone that he never got less then B+ in any of his tests, it didn't matter to anyone that if he wanted, he could, in fact, do big-blue-puppy eyes. So why would it matter to him?

He stopped counting how many times his teacher thought he didn't attend the class, when he was right there, voice only slightly above whisper. How many times his father missed him in the morning and claimed from one of his brothers to call him into the car when he was already in the back sit. How many times he made Raph, Mikey or Donnie to jump to the air in surprise. 

His father, sometimes, told him it's not healthy to be this quiet and antisocial to others, and wandered why all he did all day was to go from home to school to his martial arts lessons for most of the day and then back home. He voiced his concern about Leo's mental health. And Leo knew he meant good, really. He loved his father. But he couldn't make the voice inside him that told him that it was his father's fault that he was so dim and quiet to shut up. Every Time that happened, he would invite Usagi to his home, or went to a move with the rest of their small gang to a movie or to the park, until Yoshi was off his back. Funny. When thinking about it like that, it sounds like something Raph would say.

Until ninth grade, it was easy to slip away from people's sight, back to the shadows. In ninth grade, his appearance started to draw attention. He knew, that if he wanted he could have a girlfriend, but he wasn't sure why would he want it. For what? So, they can go to watch a movie together? He could do it alone. So, they could go eat ice cream together? He could do it alone too. 

So, he upgraded his tricked. 

He never thought of his ability to be invisible would bring him to the place it did. 

Never.

 


	2. HELP (i need somebody)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dear readers (people who were kind enough to read my story).  
> I need your help

Help!

Guys! I need help! No, this is not a chapter . okay, so you guys don’t know a lot about the guys in this au. What you do know, Is that they all learn in school somewhere in America. My problem? I have never learned in school in America. I have never been an American, and I will probably never will be. I don’t have friends from America neither. So how does that affect the story?

I don’t know if you do it, and I don’t know if you ever wrote anything, but most of the writers do an extensive research before they begin to write. The research is for the story to be more real- by using more believable details. And what is more believable then the truth.

In other words, I have no idea what schools in U.S.A are like. So why do I need your help?

**If you learned in U.S.A from 10 th grade to 12th, I have a bunch of questions, that if I know the answers to, will make the story MUCH better. Here they are:**

  1. **How many minutes does one period takes?**
  2. **How many periods there is in one day?**
  3. **Does every teacher have his own room? Or just every major?**
  4. **What majors do you learn?**
  5. **What part of school life does sport take?**
  6. **Do you eat every meal in the cafeteria? just breakfast? Just lunch?**
  7. **Where are the lockers? Do they have their own school, or are they in the hallways?**
  8. **Do you have buses taking you there? Do you arrive by foot?**
  9. **Do the school have a privet gym? A swimming pool?**
  10. **Do you have a lot of bulling problems?**
  11. **What part the teachers’ take in your personal life?**
  12. **How does the clubs work?**



**Guys, please don’t ignore. Write in the comments\ reviews.**

The only things I know about schools in U.S.A, I picked from TV shows, and I don’t want my story to be based on that. I really want you to enjoy it.

Thanks so much for those who answers.

Have a good life!


	3. Big Puzzle Of Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally. We finished.
> 
> And yes, I say we, because I found myself a beta reader: her pen name is TofuNinjaCat from ff.net and the link for her page will be in my bio there. She is the reason why you read this chapter so soon. Thank you so much.
> 
> I hope you all still remember this little fic. I want to say a huge thank you for all of the people who helped me in their reviews and comments. Special thank you for Tai-Ke-Ai for your 4 full comments, and for Lidia ❤ and for anyone who bothered themselves with this. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this.
> 
> I have a bunch of reasons as to why it took so long, which I will not start describing, but one of them was that I had to decide whether this fic will be Leo-centric or equal. It will be equal, and every turtle will have his own little prolog. This chapter is Raph's prolog. After Mikey's the actual plot will begin.
> 
> In a weird way, Leo is my fav, but I relate to Raph the most. You will not see stuff like "I know it was wrong but I couldn't stop", or anything like that, because this is bullshit. Raph has reasons, like anyone else, and if there is anyone who gets it, is me. Oh yeah, and you will see a whole lot of him.
> 
> Disclaimer: do not own tmnt.
> 
> Another statement: racists should leave this fic now.

Humans fear what they do not understand.

That's the reason why people fear the dark, why blinking for too long was so dangerous- who knows what will happen in that half second. After all, the world can change in less than that. This is why at dark, all smart and developed creatures that don't have claws for fingers or fangs that can tear into flesh, prefer to sleep.

Over the years, Raphae came to understand that the only way to stop this irrational 'rational' fear of the dark without relying too much on artificial light was to be prepared- for everything. To bulldoze through lines of people who may or may not hurt you. To growl at a tease, to glare at an insult. The world wasn't all rainbows and fluffy bunnies- only the strong survive the dark.

That was his philosophy. Simple. So, so simple.

It took him almost being raped on the street and sleeping in a hospital bed beside his brother to understand that that philosophy was too simple to be true. But then he learned another way to feel safe from the dark- his family.

And the most amazing thing was that he didn't have to do anything to get that comfort- it was offered to him. And that was what he loved about his family the most- the endless love; without blood ties, without reason.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. The thing he liked the most about his family was the way each one of them was different from one another. Sure, they all looked different- physical appearance evidently varied - but if you looked closely - it was clear that that they were absolutely _nothing_ alike. Anyone who knew the Hamato brothers could watch them pass in the hallway and know that they were different in every way possible.

Leonardo likes to watch and think, Donatello was obsessed with planning every detail to the last breath, Michelangelo danced around his problems before the final strike and Raphael- personally- liked to be direct: honesty is the best policy. Being straightforward prevented misunderstandings. He was practical- humans lived short lives and died young, so why waste time on niceties when he could get straight to the point? Tact was useless- therefore, Raph had nothing to do with it.

He works with his emotions, with his impulses. He works with his heart- though he'll never admit it out loud. That was just the way he is. Passionate, his father used to call him.

He also called Raph "fire-boy", because of the way he would run around and try to protect his brothers from everything and anything that looked even remotely dangerous. But Raph- though he knew his dad had meant it in the best way - couldn't help but wonder if it was really because fire had a nasty tendency to spiral out of control and burn something- or someone- important.

Because that what he was: destructive. Sometimes it seemed as if everything that got close to him broke down or stopped working. Every movement he made was too sharp, too aggressive.

He felt like a bull in a china store.

And as he grew up, he got bigger, and his space to move got smaller, to the point where moving was difficult- to the point where the only time he felt free to move without breaking something was when he was around Casey or Leo.

Leo. Talk about difficult.

Saying Leo was difficult was an understatement. Sure, they were close in their childhood- close enough for dad to still revel in stories about them, even when they were sixteen- but between homework, struggles with romance, the football team and the constantly increasing competition between him and his brothers, Raph had a hard time keeping up.

Where once they could understand each other with a single look, a single glance, a single word, now Raph found he couldn't understand with a whole speech and PowerPoint presentation. Somewhere along the way, Leonardo became a walking riddle, a half amused gaze constantly behind those blue eyes.

One day, Raph woke up, and realized he had no idea how to talk to his brother. It happened just like that. It's amazing how quickly it all changed, isn't it? But Raph had received no warning either and found that he had no other choice but to roll with the punches. So he focused on other things-like being a better quarterback, or passing the next exam in biology with something higher than a C.

Leo confused him.

Donnie wasn't much better.

The first time Donatello said something Raphael didn't understand was after dad bought him a book that went by the name 'Nature: Questions & Answers'. The book was big and heavy, with big complicated paragraphs and sketches in black and white that showed elephants' and chickens' digestive systems. It was very different from the colorful drawings he was used to during that time in life.

As time passed, Donatello became more and more aware of his genius, joining programs for those with a 170 IQ or up- because of them. Because of him. The fact that Donnie was the only one who was biologically Hamato Yoshi's son didn't help either.

Raphael loved his brother, of course he loved him, but between long, ten syllable words, and endless speeches about physics and astronomy, he simply couldn't understand him.

Donnie confused him.

And then, there was Mikey.

Mikey, who laughed for no reason but for the sake of laughing, who found no reason to fight save for the story he could tell afterwards. His little brother, who found his place among the people, while he himself couldn't help but try and disconnect from them. Who managed to find his joy in other's.

Mikey, who would change emotions in a heartbeat, who would laugh behind his hands so no one could see the miserable glow of his eyes, as if he thought he could hide it from his brothers- as if he could hide it from Raph.

Mikey, who could never keep any romantic relationships for over a month, and never seem too disappointed about it. Michelangelo, who was named after a man that had a love for drawing the end of the world and known for being far too serious.

More than anyone else, Mikey confused him.

But as much as his family confused him, there was nothing more confusing than waking up in a dark alley, with a pounding headache and Dragon Face's ugly mug hovering just a few inches above his.


	4. The Big Green Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it has been a year since I updated. The last year was... well, it was difficult. Many things happened, and I will be back to it soon.
> 
> In one of the comments, I answered, I said that this fic is my baby, and I'm not going to give it up any time soon. It was not a lie, I'm not giving it up, but it is my baby. My first fic, which I started to write two years and a half ago, pretty much around the time I started to read Fanfics in general and tmnt fics specifically. I had no idea what I was doing. 
> 
> I know that many of you gave up this fic, and I almost did so, too. The decision to continue despite the fact I'm not part of tmnt fandom anymore at all was made two months ago, and I kinda expected it will take longer to update something, but my amazing beta reader tolerated my absence and we got in touch and worked on it, and everything was ok. In the meantime, I developed everything. I have a fully prepared timeline (something I recommend for all fic writers to have/make), I have characters development, plot lines, their house plans, their school plans, characters dynamics, everything. The only reason I can't give you weekly or timed updates is because I don't know if I will be able to stand to them, and I don't wanna make promises I can't keep. 
> 
> One of the ways you can make me write faster is to COMMENT. Honestly, half the reason I do it is for comments. And by 'do it' I mean continuing with this fic and publishing it in AO3 and FanFication.net. I wanna know your opinion. I want you to enjoy reading, so please throw tact out of the window where it belongs, and tell me what you think. I don't care if it's just to say "I ate guacamole this morning", I want your comments. 
> 
> As for the reason I was away, (this is the point where you can skip forward if you read all of it) is because I decided to find a way to make my life better. I don't exactly identify myself as an introvert, but in many ways I am. Being around people make me happy, but I get tired fast, and this year I decided to change my ways and try and be social. It kinda works...? I'm happier, but I'm tired, and the last year was a brain killer, honestly half the time I felt like a zombie. In the year since I updated, I managed to get in and out of tmnt fandom three times, get obsessed with overwatch, get unobsessed with overwatch, and get obsessed with Batman. Still am.
> 
> You don't actually need to know, but I'm trying to tell you, guys, if you like this fic, I think it's best if you subscribe. I don't know when I'll update the one chapter after the next (the chapter when the story actually begins) but I will. 
> 
> Oh, by the way, the first two chapters will probably get rewritten at some point. Also, the chapters contradict each other a lot, but it's important to remember, that those guys are teens. The way they see stuff are different, sometimes they judge the situation wrong, and sometimes they make assumptions. I know it's hard but try. 
> 
> NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE UP A WEEK FROM NOW.
> 
> OK, THAT'S IT, HAVE FUN.

Donnie was a scientist. A good one.

He created his first engine at the age of four and almost got himself electrocuted- “almost” being the keyword. After his father was done yelling at him for his carelessness and recklessness, he moved on to looking with awe at what he had built. Looking back, it was basic. Small and unimportant, really.  But he couldn't bring himself to throw it away despite the temptation to use it as a part for something much better than a half working engine.

Back in the day, it was only Leo and him. Leo would read his books, sometimes drinking the tea Father basically injected into them daily, and occasionally look up from his book to glance at Donnie on the rug taking the bolts and wires from their electrical- well, everything- to ask him “What are you working on, Otōto?” Donnie would ramble for _hours_ about how he found _that_ piece in the refrigerator, and he could use it to do something that he just _had_ to try, Leo, so don’t ask him any more questions for the time being, ok?

Not to lie, being the center of the attention felt nice. Being prized as the ‘genius’, the ‘prodigy’- it felt good. Being not only this thing his dad looked at with a sad smile and loneliness. Then time passed.

In many books, when the conflict is introduced, the main character always describes it the same way-saying how it would change their life forever, and how they could feel how important it was, and how amazing\terrible it is, etc. But one thing life taught Donnie- one thing that, for some reason, no one ever wrote about in any book he read- is how life can change in the most anticlimactic ways. One second you’re taking apart your house’s cable phone on the rug with your amazing big brother chuckling at the lamest joke you could think of, and the next your father is at the door, a four-year-old boy trailing behind him and holding his slacks like it was a lifeline.

 Then your big brother is talking to your dad in Japanese too fast for you to follow, leaving behind his very comfortable corner on the couch in favor of walking closer to the four-year-old that looks smaller than you, but isn’t. And you have no idea what the hell is happening, but you do know that no one ever wrote about something like this in any book you’ve read.

That was probably Donnie’s biggest problem- he had no idea what to do when he hadn’t read about it.

The four-year-old became much bigger in a crazily short amount of time, and before Donnie knew it, the four-year-old was named Raphael and was there to stay. But Leo, Leo was fine. The moment Leo laid his eyes on Raph, he liked him, and had started to show him how to do everything he didn’t already know. Like how to eat right and how to make tea for Dad when he wanted something new; really just all the nine yards.

But you see, Donnie was a scientist. A good one, in fact. And one thing all scientists liked was order. Separation. Preparation. But then here comes the unexpected factor, one that changes the whole equation.

 Donnie had only started to get used to Raph before another bomb ran through the door and jumped at him- very literally, unfortunately. The bomb, named Mikey, surprisingly held no small amounts of energy for such a small body.  He didn’t tell them his real name until a few months later, when Donnie was already six and starting to suspect his next surprise brother would be called Sandro or something.

So yeah. It was shock. But not as big of a shock as what came next.

Because in the years to come, Donnie got very close with a certain green monster (who was not Raph’s Spike). He tried to find a different name for it, for a while. Because there was no way he was jealous of three orphan boys who had nothing in the world- because, really, he had absolutely nothing to be jealous of- he was smart, which pretty much guaranteed his future, he had everything he wanted, and his father was still alive and didn’t dump him on the street for drugs or booze. He had nothing to be jealous of at all.

He was nine years old when he finally faced it, because he couldn’t deny it anymore, and because he finally had a reason to be jealous. A reason named April. And Mikey, the poor little boy, got right to her. He liked her, a lot, and they talked for _hours_ while Donnie could barely open his mouth next to her. While Donnie felt the red-hot wash on his face every time she looked his direction. Then, even when they broke it up (it was never actually romantic, Donnie could recognize), they still stayed friends, and they still talked for hours, and Donnie still couldn’t talk to her, and all he wanted to say is: that’s not what’s supposed to happen! You’re not supposed to like each other now!

That was the first time he could name this feeling,

With Leo, it was reasonable: Don doubted anyone could look at Leo without getting a little jealous. At first, it was because he was smart (not Donnie- smart. More like dad- smart, the way he always knew what to do to comfort, and what to say at the right time), and strong, and always- always- peaceful. Leo had that aura around him that made people want to get closer. Even adults looked at him as equals, even Dad considered his words. He never made mistakes, never got punished, was always right. Always made them look bad.

Then, when they grew up and started high school, and Leo was a year above them, it was the girls: how they looked at him when he went down the stairs, how they smiled at him when he talked to one of them; or the teachers, who hated Donnie but loved Leo, asked him how he was, how everything was at home, and had a trouble keeping a smile when Leo asked about Donnie.

But, whatever, Donnie was pretty sure everyone was jealous of Leo.

With Raph, it was less than reasonable, but still, not strange. It took a while with Raph, and he could, in retrospect, see that he was a little jealous of Raph when Dad just picked him up. But then it slowly disappeared as time passed. Only to reappear, full force, during high school. The summer between their seventh and eighth grade, Raph shot up in height, faster than a weed. He was always taller than Donnie, but now he was even taller than Leo, slowly reaching their father’s height. His jaw sharpened, his muscles appeared- in short, he was a magnet for attention.

For some reason, in spite his roughness, people like to hang around him. He was not by any means Mike’s level of friendly, but he was way up on the socials range compared to Donnie. So again, he was alone. Again, he was _less_. Again, he was jealous.

But what was not reasonable, or even _understandable_ , was his fierce, white-hot, _growling_ jealousy for Mikey.

Mikey, under the tender yet stern love of Hamato Yoshi, turned from a boy who looked fearfully at anyone approaching, a boy who would ask permission for everything, who called dad Yoshi, a boy who didn’t trust anyone enough to tell them his real name, to someone who smiled the brightest, loved the fiercest, and trusted most of all of the four. The only one could quiet down Raph’s temper when it flared. The one who could make their father laugh freely, every time he truly tried. The one who could drag Leo out of wherever he hid in to come and eat with them. The one who could make Donnie explained one of his more complex experiments or gadgets with an actual intent to be understandable.

The one everyone- _everyone-_ loved.

So no, he didn’t understand who could be jealous of him.

But Donnie?

Oh boy, was he jealous.


	5. I Sure Aint No Moron

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> michelangelo is not an idiot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok, a couple of changes. this story will be the first chapter in a part in a series, so people could read what ever they like. havent come up with a name for the next part yet, but it should be up soon. 
> 
> ok thats it LETS Go

Michelangelo is not an idiot. And he would very much like it if the world stopped looking at him like one, too.

Mikey is the youngest brother in a house full of men- with no one woman- and while he is not younger by much, everyone seems to forget that. And sure, he liked the job of the ‘baby brother’. He could get away with pretty much anything: lazing around, reading comics, watching 6+ cartoons no one his age would probably dare to watch. Thing like talking too fast and too much about stuff that interested no one but himself, and still his bothers listened to him, and he could steal his brothers’ food, which was pretty great at pizza nights, and steal Leo’s attention too. And yeah, sure, he knows that if he wants people to stop treating him like a baby, he needs to stop acting like one, he knows.

But being a baby does not mean he is stupid, or dumb, or “simpleton”. Because, let him tell you, he’s no good at math, or chemo, or bio, or physics, but he is good like you won’t even believe at people. And like dad says, at the end of the day, that’s what matters.

Like- even super early on, before their life started to resemble the plot from gray’s anatomy, before the mess they called routine, back when their father was there, he knew that each and every one of them had their place in the family.

Like- Leo. It doesn’t matter that the dude was only one year older then them, he ruled the house. Sure, when dad was away, he was the responsible one. But it was like he didn’t even had to be said to do that- He made lunch in the morning, left sticky notes with “im out for a bit, will be back soon, call if you need something” scrabbled hastily, he went with them to parent- teacher day, he scolded them when they got less then C for their tests (well, scolded Mikey and Raph anyway. Don never got less then an A), then joined them for hours for homework till one am.

Raph liked to call Leo “mom”, when they weren’t screaming at each other, or when they were actually speaking to each other. He said it as a tease, or some mockery, but Mike- well, Mike was grateful for it.

Then Leo drew away. It was hard to explained- he was still there for them, but… far. It had to be like, 8+ for him to intervene. He even stopped fighting with Raph- he drew that much away. But he still held his place- he was still Leo.

Raph was the ‘rough-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside-kill-anyone-who-touches-you’ brother. If you need the naked truth, he will give it to you. He was kinda bullheaded, and Donnie often called him ‘oversimplified moron’ when they fought (which was more and more lately, with the way things were now between them), but honestly, Mikey cherished it. When he was around Raph, he knew he could be himself. Even batter, he knew he shouldn’t be anyone else, because Raph would offended if he realized Mikey was faking it. It happened more than once, that Mikey forgot to be honest with him, and it was never pretty.

Mikey loved raph. Not that he didn’t love Donnie or Leo, but it was different with Raph. Raph, although his big body, and all the ways he could make a full-grown man flinch with a single look, made Mikey feel protected, like that one time in japan that they were at a burning building, and Leo just screamed at them to follow him, and “goddamn it, do _not_ breath the smoke in!”, then-when they were safe, dah- went to check everyone, and call dad to let him now that they were ok, and left them alone with a slight order of “do _not move from there ,_ I’m _serious_ ”, and Raph went other the ambulances, and returned with an orange blanket, and warped it around Mikey, and shushed him when he cried. Raph was his security, not matter how many times he yelled at him. He was his safety net. Mikey had never in his life felt more safe or real with someone. Especially not around Donnie.

Truth be told, Donnie’s place in the family used to be, well, not better, but defiantly safer, more stable. As well as his place with Mikey. Once upon a time, they would sit together for hours, Mikey reading the comics he got that week, and Donnie fussing over some experiment or the microscope he got from dad at one of those only times Donnie wanted something enough to fall to his knees and beg.

They would just sit together, even Mikey’s ADHD didn’t bother him as much, and he could actually sit in one place for a change and watch Donnie work, or listen to his mumbles at things he never had a chance understanding at the room with the scrambled “LAB” sign at the door. It was the days Raph and Leo were always either fighting or being best friends, so Donnie and he had plenty of time for themselves. Those were one of this most peaceful moments of his childhood.

Then Donnie realized just how much smarter he is, and if once they could walk next to each other, with no hurry or a place to be, now Mikey was left painting just from trying to catch up to Donnie’s pace, to his hurry.

The first time he could remember fighting with Donnie, real time fighting, scream fighting, was at fifth grade. Donnie could jump classes if he wanted, but he was having a hard time at school when he was with kids his own age, and no one wanted to see what will happen if he was with older ones.

Mikey couldn’t figure out what miss Thompson explained at science class, and Donnie, for the first time in Mikey’s life, called him an idiot.

Their relationship didn’t get much better after that.

Honestly, until then Mikey felt like Donnie was the only one that believed in him. Dad didn’t express much opinion (or complements, trying to balance four boys who were too competitive sometimes), Raph’s teasing sometimes edged at hurting, especially then, and Leo was Leo, and it was hard for anyone Mikey knew to look him in the face and think “im as good as this guy”. But Donnie, Donnie was smart, and older, and so much more experienced, and deemed him good enough to be near, so he must have been doing something right.

And then he called him ‘idiot’. And Mikey was not an idiot. He was childish, babish, slowish, arrogant at a time. But not an idiot. Not stupid. Not dumb.

And that was that.


End file.
